Mechanism foe looms



'(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. LOOKWOOD. SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

No. 554.886. Patented Feb. 18,1896.

(No Model.) 1 4 Sheets-.-Sheet 2. A. LOGKWOOD. SHEDD-ING MECHANISM FORLOOMS.

No.] 554," 886.' Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

(No Model.) 4' Sheets-SheetB A. LOGKWOOD. SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

N g. 554,886. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

wryu man: W n

4 Sneak-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A LOOKWOOD SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Patemted Feb. 18, 1896.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

AMOS LOCKIVOOD, OF HALIFAX, ENGLAND.

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,886, dated February18, 1896.

A Application filed January 10, 1895. Serial No. 534,473. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMos LooKwooD, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at King Cross, Halifax, in the county of York,

England, have invented new and useful Shedwherein the healds or heddlesare raised as well as pulled down or depressed by the sheddingmechanism, no springs or weights being required for the one or the otherof such movements, and my said invention consists of constructing andarranging certain of the operating parts so that I am enabled to effectthe jointing or coupling together of several of the parts in a moreefficient yet simpler and less expensive manner than has heretofore beenthe casein the production of mechanism for similar purposes. Thusstronger and more durable mechanism results. To attain this object Iemploy certain well-known parts to or in connection with which I coupleor arrange other parts, as hereinafter described and as illustrated bythe accompanying sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the shedding mechanism shown as detached from a loom. Fig.2 is a sectional elevation of said shedding mechanism, showing only alittle of the framework, the other parts of which are omitted for thesake of clearness. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, but is drawn on areduced scale and shows the method of coupling the mechanism to theheddles of a loom, this latter being also omitted from the drawings asunnecessary. Fig. dis a top view of a sufficient part of the mechanismto show the relative proportions and positions of the prin cipal parts.Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are drawings in detail, hereinafter referred to.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throu ghout the several views.

A A indicates the framework of the machine, and B the healds or heddles.

In carrying my invention into effect I make use of the jack or toplevers, a, as Well as the bottom levers,b,which are formed and coupledor joined together and to the heddles Bin the usual and well-knownmanner, as by the rods 0 and cords d.

-The arms a of the levers a are coupled by the rods 6 to the toothedcrank -wheels f, (mounted to revolve on the shaft 1 which are caused torotate or move by the racks g as these latter are moved backward andforward or reciprocated, such movement of the wheels f being to bringtheir crank-pins f from one side of their pivotal centers to the other,the two extremes being shown by Fig. 3. These racks g are mounted toslide upon the cross-rail or framework A A of the machine. Thus theirmovements are at all times in a straight and even course.

In each of these racks g are formed two notches g 9 in suitable relativepositions, as shown, so that catch-pieces h h, carried by the tworeciprocatory draw-bars k is, may engage therewith, as is desired, forcausingthe said draw-bars k to move said racks 9. These draw-bars k kare arranged to slide within guiding-slots m formed in each of the sideframes A A, such slots m being parallel with the upper edges or surfacesof the racks g, while the catch-pieces h h are made and formed to slidefreely in slots 10 made in these draw-bars k k, by which bars k 70 theyare at all times carried, so that when any one of these catch-pieces h his allowed to move and fall by gravity into one or other of the notchesg g in the sliding racks 9 such rack 9 will be coupled to and caused tomove with the draw bar 70 or k carrying same, and that through asufficient space to cause the wheel f to rotate as desired.

To the extremities of the draw-bars k k are pivotally attached thependent levers n n n a the other extremities of which span theextremities of the shaft 0 and the fixed studs or pins 10 19,respectively, which shaft and studs form the fulcrums for these levers,so that by these latter being coupled with the rods (1 g Q2 g to thedouble eccentrics r r, mounted on the shaft 0*, as these eccentricsrotate, the levers n n n n are moved back- .ward and forward, and soalso are the drawbars k k, and as will be seen the movements of saiddraw-bars k is will be in opposite directions. Now, in order that theseries of catch-pieces h h, which are respectively carried by thesedraw-bars 7t: It, may be operated by the pattern-surfacet so that theymay thereby be allowed to fall by gravity into or be raised out of theirrespective notches g 9 as may be indicated by said pattern surface t,four series of levers s, s, 5 and s are pivotally mounted and arrangedon the shafts u, a, U2, and u, in order that one lever in each seriesmay be laid hold of by one or a single red in the series ofconnecting-rods c, said coupling of the rod n to the levers s and 8being by same directly laying hold of them, while its couplings to thelevers s and s are respectively through the medium of the levers s andthe levers s. This series of rods 1 reaches for contact with thepattern-surface 1, so that when moved thereby, as when the pegs t arepressed against them on the advancing of the pattern-cylinder, the endsof the levers s s s s, which are for contact with the pieces h 7t, arecaused-to descend, while when said pattern-cylinder recedes then such ofthe rods 1) as had been pressed forward by it recede also, their actionin this direction being effected by the gravitating of the weighted arms8 of the levers s, which are made sufficiently heavy on each lever s asto be enabled to move all the other levers s, 8 s, and s, to which it iscoupled by the rod r.

The series of levers s and s are situated to act upon the pieces h 7twhen these are at the extent of their movements in an outward direction,as shown by Figs. 1 and 3, while the levers s and s are for acting uponthem when at the extent of their movements in the opposite direction, onwhich one series is approachin g the other, thus provided a rod 1; ispressed forward by a peg t, as before described, such action being timedor regulated to be performed as the series of pieces h h approach theirsaid extreme positions of their movements, the two pieces h and h,carried by one or other of its pair of levers s s or 85 respectively,(the levers s and 5 being the ones shown in such position by Figs. 1 and3,) will be allowed to descend by gravity and so enter its notch g or gin the rack g. However, if the rod 1* is not thus pressed at this timethe counterbalancing-arm of the lever s will prevent the pieces hor hfrom deseending at this time, and further provided such piece h or lbwas already in its descended or lowest position when it thus approachedits lever s, .9, or s the actions of the inclined surfaces on thesepieces h 7t upon tho e on the arms of the levers they were approachingwould cause them to ascend out of their lowered positions when in theirnotches into their raised positions out of same.

The notches g g are arranged or formed in the rack g in such relativepositions that when the pieces 71/ h are widway in their respectivepaths of motion these notches g g are directly beneath them, by which itwill be seen that when the rack g is at the extent of its movement ineither direction only one or the other of its notches g or 9 canpossibly be in position for receiving the piece 7L or it, so thatalthough they are both allowed to descend as the rod 1; is pressed bythe peg t, yet one alone will be effective by falling into its notch,the other of them alighting upon the smooth upper edge of the rack g,and is thereby ineffective as regards being an operator at thistime,while by each piece h h having on its upper end, its, a projectingrib 7r, extending laterally from it to slide upon a similar rib a,formed upon each of the guide-pieces w w, (two series, corresponding innumber with those of the pieces h h, being carried by being fixed uponor made to take over the cross bars or shafts w" w' and 10 10respectively,) as its draw-bar 7.; or continues to move it at such time.Then it issupported or prevented from descending as and when its notch gor g would by the actions of the other bar 70 or k and its piece h or71, be brought beneath it the same as is shown by Fig. 2. In this mannerone rod '0 is allowed to operate or control the movements of two piecesh and h effectively.

Oseillatory motion is imparted to the pat tern-barrel t by same beingmoved in one direction by the cam a (mounted on the rotary shaft 00)operating the levers :0 and w", pivoted at 00', and in the otherdirection by the spring ,2, which has one end attached to the lever 00and the other to a projecting piece on the framework A, whileintermittent rotary motion is imparted thereto by the train of wheels 1peg-wheel y and star-wheel 1 from said shaft 0, which derives its motionfrom the shaft 7' through the gear-wheels o and 0 The shaft 0' isrotated by being geared with the wheels 7 0' to the shaft 0*, which isin turn rotated through the vertical shaft 1" by any motor part, as thetop or bottom shaft of the loom.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the several partsfor operating the racks g are all arranged so that they have theirseveral respective bearings common to all the series. Thus the racks 9have notches g 9 the catch-pieces h h are all arranged to slide in theirrespective grooves common to their series, and the several series oflevers s s s s are carried by their common shafts a u a if, by whichmeans stronger joints are formed, and that in an easier and moreexpeditious manner than when each operating part has to be pivotallyconnected to another.

Having thus described my said invention and the manner in which same maybe carried into effect, what I claim is- 1. In loom shedding mechanism,the combination of draw-bars, means for imparting reciprocatory motionto these bars, catchpieccs arranged to slide within slots made in. saidbars, means operated by a pattern-sinface for actuating saidcatch-pieces, sliding racks having notches to receive said catchpieees,crank-wheels gearing with said racks, jack-levers, connecting-rods,coupling said jack-levers and crank-Wheels together, bottom levers, rodsfor coupling these latter to the jack-levers, heddles and connectionsfor coupling same to the jack and bottom levers substantially asspecified.

2. In loom shedding mechanism the combination of draw-bars, means forimparting a reciprocatory motion thereto, catch-pieces arranged to becarried by said draw-bars, four series of levers arranged to operatesaid catch-pieces, connecting -'rods arranged to couple said series oflevers together, pattern mechanism for operating said rods, slidingracks, operated by the catch-pieces in the draw-bars, crank-wheels.operated by said racks, levers coupled to said crank-Wheels, heddlesoperated by said levers and connecting-rods for coupling said heddles tosaid levers substantially as specified.

3. In loom shedding mechanism the combination of reciprocatorydraw-bars, means for operating same, catch-pieces carried by thesedraw-bars, four series of levers for operating these catch-pieces eachseries having its common bearing-shaft, means for coupling said leverstogether and pattern mechanism for operating same, sliding racks havingnotches for the reception of the catch-pieces carried by the draw-bars,crank-Wheels gearing With said racks, rods for coupling saidcrank-Wheels to the heddles and said heddles substantially as hereinspecified.

4. In loom shedding mechanism, the combination of reciprocatingdraw-bars each carrying a series of catch-pieces, means for operatingsaid draw-bars, catch-piece-operating levers, rods whereby said leversare coupled together, the pattern-surface operating the catch-pieces,means for preventing said catchpieces at certain times from entering thenotches in their respective racks, said racks, crank-Wheels gearingtherewith, the heddles, and means for coupling said crank-wheels to theheddles, substantially as specified.

AMOS LOCKWOOD.

WVitnesses:

SAMUEL HEY, RD. B. NIcHoLLs.

